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Highlights and fun facts from our games played, and news about upcoming games and events.

 BTW you can find more info on the Matinee Division including our schedule on our Division website at the following link: 

https://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=matineedivision 

GAME RECAPS FOR 2025 BELOW

Matinee Game 9, 8/6

On an overcast but baseball-perfect warm summer morning the Matinee Division held our ninth game of the season today, and this one turned into one of the best games of the year, despite the lowest number of players we have had this year. DB’s team struck quickly in the opening half of the first with two runs as Don Ball drove in one, while the other was unearned on an errant throw from the borrowed left fielder, who will remain nameless. MCQ’s team answered right back with two of their own in the bottom half, and the game was knotted at two apiece. Single runs by both teams in the second and the game moved to the third, tied at three.  With outstanding pitching and solid defense, the game remained tied at three until the bottom of the sixth when McQ’s team scored two to take a 5-3 lead. Singles by Carlos Espada and Mike Clary paved the way. With the low attendance it was agreed to only play seven innings today so McQ’s team needed just three outs to secure the victory, however DB’s team would not go down quietly. Back-to-back singles by Dan Hernandez and Dennis Lane to open the inning put the tying runs on base with no outs, but Jimmy K. was able to shut the door and retire the next three hitters, and the Good Guys walked away with the victory.

The game marked the season debut of Hall of Famer Tom Maney who is still recovering from back surgery. Also joining us for the first time this year was Dennis Lane and Tom Hayes who are both off from work for the summer. Tom unfortunately suffered an ankle injury diving back to third on a pickoff attempt and we hope he will be OK for the remainder of our season and his 45 Mets’ season.

 A correction.The errant throw in the first inning was in the bottom of the inning that allowed McQ’s team to score not DB’s team. (You would think I would know)

The Matinee Division resumes next Wednesday so keep an eye out for our next IN or OUT email from Donny Ball for this game. Attendance is expected to greatly improve so please respond promptly.

Thanks

 

Jim  

Matinee Game 8, 7/30

 Afternoon all,

 
There's been a lot of chatter regarding yesterday's matinee game which has been extremely helpful for me in trying to remember and list all the highlights. In no way will this be of the 2 Jim's or Donny's caliber of reporting but I'll do my best.
 
Let's start with what a beautiful summer day we had, sunny and 82 degrees with a soft gentle wind blowing from the west with low humidity. Donny got there early to put together two talented competitive teams to face off. Thank you Don.
 
Highlights:
  Jimmy K piches 5 strong  innings leaving the game with a 9-5 lead good guys in the 7th. .
  Ronny Mazz made three force plays to third in one inning going deep in the hole for all three, never seen it happen in my 56 years of Baseball. 
  The good guys pounded the ball with everyone contributing for a 14-7 winn.
   PJ Martone and Jim Wing caught 9 innings in the heat and both played an excellent defensive game. 
   PJ was the offense stallworth for Donny B's club with  two doubles and three RBI's. 
 
All in all a great day for Matinee baseball, look forward to seeing you all next week. 

Look for an E-mail requesting a head count for next week. 

Matinee Game 7,  7/16

Breaking News - The Dedicated, Fantastic team dug themselves an early hole and couldn't get out.
 
Yes. It was warm but 21 studs showed up and played a relatively quick, eight-inning game at the A Diamond. McQ's team put up a five spot in the 2nd inning as Reed singled, Bain doubled and the top of the order -Jazz, Rosen and Mitchell hit consecutive singles to light up the score board. The DFs managed 2 runs off Jimmy K to keep the game tight through four innings.
 
The top of the 5th was the turning point as McQs men rallied for four runs despite a 6-4-3 DP in the middle of the rally. Durbak, Reed, Bain and Jimmy Jazz all hit safely in the frame. (A shout out to Jimmy Jazz who played well and fearless despite being schedule for thumb surgery on Friday. If I had known that ahead of time,, I would have put him on the Dedicated, Fantastic team for sure!!)
 
Dan Durback pitched a few scoreless innings to send my team back to our defensive positions. Meanwhile, I pitched the 6th, 7th and 8th innings and was supported by a diving catch in CF by Capt. McCarthy and two double plays in the infield. We turned four double plays over eight innings. Matinee games are well played.
final scores
McQ's team10
DB's team    2
 
Don Ball 

Matinee Game 6, 7/09

On another beautiful warm summer morning the Matinee Division held our sixth game of the season, and this one turned into an instant classic! DB’s team started right out of the gate with two runs in the top of the first as Carlos Espada led off with a single, followed by a walk to PJ Martone and consecutive singles by Mike Girard and Dave Mitchell. Alex Marin followed with an RBI Sac Fly and McQ’s team luckily escaped with only letting up the two runs. McQ’s team answered right back in the bottom of the inning with two runs of it’s own as Greg Mangione, TJ Scorsone, Jerry Rosen and Mike Clary all singled in the inning. While DB’s team then went scoreless in the next four frames, McQ’s team added a run in the fourth and then another in the fifth, highlighted by a booming triple by Pat Alston and an RBI single by Mike Clary and the game went to the sixth with McQ’s team leading 4-2. Girard doubled in a single run in the sixth for DB’s team and then they scored three more in the seventh, on a unique three-run single by Martone and suddenly DB’s team led 6-4. McQ’s team was not fazed however by giving up the lead and proceeded to score single runs in the seventh and eighth innings and the game went to the ninth knotted at six! After a scoreless ninth, for the first time in Matinee Division history, the game went to extra innings as we followed MLB rules and started the 10th with a man on second. In the top of the inning Carlos Espada promptly stole third and was delivered by another PJ Martone single and DB’s team took the 7-6 lead into the bottom of the inning. Mike Girard then retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning and DB’s team walked away with the victory.

Espada, Martone, Girard, Dan Durback and Donny Ball all had multiple hits for DB’s team while Mangione, Alston, Clary, Jim McQuade and Paul Cerone had multiple hits for McQ’s team.

The game was also special as we had Hall of Famers Randy Craft and Tom Maney join us for the game and an extended cooler session (see attached pictures)

 

The Matinee Division resumes next Wednesday so keep an eye out for our next IN or OUT email from Donny Ball for this game.

Thanks

Jim  

         

 Matinee Players, Game 4, 6/11

Matinee Players,

Another Matinee Game today, another beautiful day for baseball and another somewhat one-sided affair as DB’s team continued a three-game win streak and walked away with a 12-7 victory at the A Diamond in Schenectady. TJ Scorsone and Mike Clary squared off on the mound and both pitched a scoreless first inning. DB’s team then had a big second inning as they pushed across five runs to take the early lead. Singles by Ron Massaroni, John Cortese, Ralph Caputo and Dave Reed highlighted the inning. While McQ’s team remained scoreless, DB’s team pushed across another single run in the fourth and then three more runs in the fifth to take a seemingly safe 9-0 lead. MCQ’s team however would not go down quietly as they scored a single run in the bottom of the fifth, four more runs in the sixth and then two more in the seventh, and suddenly the lead was down to 9-7. Three big runs by DB’s team in the top of the ninth then salted the game away.

Carlos Espada, Clary, and Dan Durback had multiple hits for McQ’s team, while Jerry Rosen, Massaroni, Scorsone, Cortese, Caputo, Reed and Jim Jazz had multiple hits for DB’s team.

Game five will be played next Wednesday the 18th so look for our next IN or OUT email message from me and please reply promptly.

 

Jim

 Matinee Players, Game 3,  6/4

Despite the best of intentions, for the third week in a row the Matinee Division game resulted in a one-sided affair as DB’s team rolled to a 7-1 victory. Ron Massaroni and Don Ball started on the mound for their respective teams and the difference in this game was Ball’s pitching, as well as a multitude of his other pitchers, who shut down McQ’s team and limited them to a single run and only seven hits. PJ Martone was the only player on McQ’s team with multiple hits. DB’s team started early with a run in the first on an RBI single by Jerry Rosen and then scored three more in the second inning. Dave Reed, Mike Aiello and Tom Bain had the big hits in the inning to plate the runs. DB’s team then added single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to put this game away. Aiello, Reed, Rick Saidenberg and Jim Jazz had multiple hits on the day for DB’s team.

 Just a slight correction. Dan Durbak pitched the first inning and Mike Clary pitched the second for the  ad Guys. DB waited until the 6th and 7th to shut down the Good Guys.

 
Hope to see you all next week.
 
DB

Game four will be played next Wednesday the 11th so look for our next IN or OUT email message from Donny Ball and please reply promptly.

Jim

 Matinee Players, Game 2,  5/28   

Matinee Players - Under ideal weather conditions for baseball, the Bad Guys broke out the lumber to even the season series at one game apiece.
 
Jimmy K limited the Bad Guys to just 3 runs over the first three innings. But Carlos Espada got the start for the Bad Guys and held the Good Guys to just 3 runs over his four innings on the bump. The 4th inning was turning point as the Bad Guys batted around and ran around the bases to score 8 runs on 8 hits (Saidenberg, Reed, Durbak, Cerone, Bain, Ball, Espada, Martone and Alston). Just to show that it wasn't a fluke, the #7 thru #11 batters for the Bad Guys scored 4 more runs in the 5th.
 
The Good Guys made a little noise in the bottom of the 5th as Jimmy Jazz, Careccia, Brown and Rosen singled and scored. Unfazed, Bad Guy hurler Ralph Caputo induced a ground ball that Espada, Reed and Alston turned into a 6-4-3, inning ending double play. That would end the scoring for the afternoon as both teams tightened their glove laces and played error-free baseball for three innings.
 
Final score: Bad Guys 15  Good Guys 8  Donny Baseball earns his first victory as a Matinee manager!
 
The first four batters for Jimmy Mac (Careccia, Brown, Rosen and Hernandez) all had multiple hit games and Joe Careccia only got thrown out at home once. For the Bad Guys, PJ Martone was 4-4 in the batter's box and rock solid behind the dish. Espada, Marin, Saidenberg, Caputo, Durbak, Cerone and Bain had multiple hit games for the Bad Guys. Dave Reed made two very nice plays at 2B for the Bad Guys.
 
The weather forecast looks great for next week. Keep your eyes open for Jimmy Mac's invitation for our first game in June. If the Bad Guys win again, we are all going to go out and get tattoos!
Don Ball

 

Matinee Players, Game 1,  5/21

 

The 2025 Matinee Division kicked off our seventh season today on an overcast day at the A Diamond in Schenectady under somewhat cool temperatures, but all in all it was not a bad day. The fireworks started immediately in the top of the first as McQ’s team started the game with four consecutive hits, one each from Carlos Espada, Tim Brown, Jerry Rosen and Joe Parker. After Jimmy K. added another single in the inning, McQ’s team led 3-0. DB’s team answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by singles from Rick Saidenberg and Pat Alston. McQ’s team then put up another three runs in the top of the second with singles from Paul Cerone and Kevin Carpenter and took the early 6-2 lead, which stayed that way until the sixth inning. In the top of the sixth McQ’s team exploded for five more runs, highlighted by an RBI single from Ron McCarthy on his 60th Birthday! DB’s team however would not go down quietly in the inning and pushed across three more runs with consecutive hits from Joe Careccia, Mike Kane, and Saidenberg’s second knock of the day. McQ’s team then salted the game away as they batted around in the seventh.

 

Espada, Brown, Rosen, Parker, McCarthy and Jim McQuade all had multiple hits for McQ’s team while Saidenberg, Alston, PJ Martone and Rick Knipper each contributed multiple hits for DB’s team.

 

Game two will be played next Wednesday the 28th so look for our next IN or OUT email message from Donny Ball and reply accordingly. (Photo attached from today, with Tom Bain missing)

 

Jim